Transport and presentation box

ABSTRACT

A box includes a floor and at least two pairs of respectively opposing side walls, wherein a first one of the side walls extends upwards from the floor in a vertical direction at least partially only by a retrieval height which is smaller than the height of one or several of the remaining side walls, to define a lateral opening with a dimension which enables access to and removal of products contained in the box through the lateral opening. Further, a locking element is provided extending between the two opposing side walls which are adjacent to the first side wall, and wherein the element is moveable between a first position and a second position. In the first position the locking element is arranged between the opposing side walls and spaced apart from the first side wall and in the second position the same is arranged overlapping the first side wall.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of copending International Application No. PCT/EP2010/063804, filed Sep. 20, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to boxes for the transport of goods which enable to present the goods transported in the box to a consumer and facilitate access to the goods in the box to the same.

A plurality of products is transported in boxes which are open to the top. For example, a plurality of different box shapes are known in beverage industry to transport beverage bottles or smaller containers of beverage bottles (for example so called “sixpacks”) from the production to retailers. In retail, the boxes are usually stacked, so that access is only possible from the top and thus products which are located in a box which is located in a bottom position in the stack may only be accessed when all boxes located above the same are removed. This is extremely uncomfortable, strenuous and time consuming. Further, such boxes are generally only designed for the transport of goods of a certain type, like e.g. bottles, so that for the transport of other goods other boxes have to be used.

It would thus be an advantage to provide boxes which enable a more efficient and simple access to products transported in the box.

SUMMARY

According to an embodiment, a box may have: a floor; at least two pairs of respectively opposing side walls, wherein a first one of the side walls extends upwards from the floor in a vertical direction at least partially only by a retrieval height which is lower than the height of one or several of the remaining side walls, to define a lateral opening with dimensions which enable an access to and the removal of products contained in the box through the lateral opening; and a locking element, extending between the two opposing side walls which abut on the first side wall and which is moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein the locking element is arranged in the first position between the opposing side walls and spaced apart from the first side wall, wherein the locking element is arranged in the second position overlapping the first side wall; and wherein the locking element includes a bracket extending between the opposing side walls and two struts arranged at the opposing ends of the bracket, wherein an end of the struts spaced apart from the bracket is arranged rotationally moveable at the corresponding side wall.

Some embodiments of the present invention thus comprise a base or bottom and at least two pairs of respectively opposite side walls, wherein a first one of the side walls is implemented so that it enables a removal of products contained in the box. Apart from that, the first side wall extends from the bottom or floor in the vertical direction at least partially by only a lower retrieval or unload height to the top which is lower than the height of one or several of the remaining side walls. The retrieval height is determined so that from the first side wall a lateral opening is defined with a size or dimension which enables an access or the removal or retrieval of products contained in the box through the lateral opening.

According to a first aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a box of the above mentioned implementation which further includes a locking element which extends between the two opposite side walls which abut on the first side wall, and which is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the locking element is arranged in the first position between the opposing side walls and spaced apart from the first side wall, wherein the locking element is arranged in the second position overlapping with the first side wall.

The locking element, according to embodiments, includes a bracket extending between the opposing side walls, and two struts arranged at the two opposing ends of the bracket, wherein a first end of the struts is arranged at the opposing ends of the bracket, and wherein a second end of the struts is arranged rotatably moveable at the corresponding side wall. The opposing side walls and the first side wall may include recesses in order to receive or the bracket and the struts, wherein the recesses may be such that the struts and the bracket in the first or second position of the locking element are flush with one surface of the opposing side walls facing the first side wall or with an exterior surface of the one side wall. Further, a latching element may be provided which cooperates with the locking element in order to keep the locking element securely in the first or second position. For forming the latching element, the struts and/or the bracket of the locking element may be implemented to engage portions of the opposite side walls or the first side wall, wherein according to embodiments the struts and/or bracket in this respect comprise one or several snap-in elements in order to cooperate with corresponding snap-in element receiving portions of the side walls. The locking element may be arranged at the second position with a distance from the bottom or floor which corresponds to about a third, a half or two thirds of the height of the opposing side walls. Further, the locking element may be implemented to be additionally arranged at a further position spaced apart from the first side wall, wherein in this case the struts may be implemented telescopically, to arrange the locking element selectively at the second or at the further position.

According to a further aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a box of the above-mentioned type, further including an insert to be arrange on the floor of the box, the insert being implemented depending on the products to be received in the box.

According to embodiments, the insert may be detachably connectable to the floor and/or the side surfaces, advantageously only using special tools. The insert may be plate-shaped and a first surface of the insert facing the floor may be adapted to a structure of the floor. The surface of the plate-shaped insert opposing the first surface is structured according to the product to be inserted. The insert may include sleeves, longitudinal struts, cross struts or members and/or recesses. Embodiments further provide a system including a box according to embodiments of the invention and a plurality of inserts structured for different products, wherein one of the inserts may selectively be arranged in the box.

According to this aspect, thus a system is provided which may be assembled freely, which may easily be adapted to different products to be inserted into the box, for example by a service provider who provides the boxes according to a configuration desired by a customer, and provides corresponding inserts, and accordingly assembles the boxes without inserts, wherein it is in this case provided for the inserts only to be exchangeable using special tools, which only the box provider has possession of.

According to embodiments of the invention, the box is restricted in vertical direction to the top by the first side wall area (which may also be the complete side wall) extending from the bottom to the top, which has a lower retrieval height. I.e., above this first side wall area no further frictional connection between the adjacent side walls exists. In other words, the first side wall is at least partially less high than the surrounding side walls or than some of the surrounding side walls, so that access is possible also at the side of the box, in order to thus have easy access to products which are arranged in lower boxes of the stack, even if the boxes are stacked.

Here, in some embodiments, the height of the first side wall is still dimensioned such that the specific products transported in the box may not fall out of the box during transport. In some embodiments, the box is determined for the transport of bottles or of bottles prepacked in smaller containers, which is why the first side wall comprises a height which is sufficient to prevent falling out of individual bottles from the box. In some embodiments, the height is between 1 and 10 centimeters. In some further embodiments, this height is between 2 and 5 centimeters, or generally more than 2 centimeters.

In some embodiments, the first side wall each comprises two side wall portions at its edges adjacent to the neighboring side walls which extend up to the height of the adjacent side walls in order to increase stability of the box.

In further embodiments of the present invention, the box comprises four side walls, wherein at least in the side walls adjacent to the first side wall grip openings or handle openings are arranged. The grip openings here comprise an area running parallel to the bottom and also an area running perpendicular to the bottom. In some embodiments, the area running perpendicular to the floor or bottom is arranged in the direction of the first side wall. In some embodiments, apart from that the first horizontal opening section running parallel to the bottom passes into the vertical opening section with a radius which is large enough to be able to grip the box in the radius. In this embodiments of the invention it is consequently possible to grip and lift the box also in the radius or in the vertical opening section so that the same tilts backwards when gripping. During transport this reduces the probability of goods falling out, like for example the bottles, from the box through the opening of the first side wall.

According to some embodiments of the invention the box further comprises, in the floor area adjacent to the first side wall, a larger supporting area for the products to be transported than on average in the remaining area of the floor. In other words this means that, when the floor is not implemented holohedrally but for example consists of individual struts, the number of struts per area, i.e. the strut density in the area adjacent to the first side wall is increased. This leads to the fact that a good inserted into the box near the side wall, for example a beverage bottle or can is in contact with the floor with a large area or supporting area. This prevents the bottle or the beverage can to slip or tilt into recesses between the floor struts, so that an unwanted falling out of the can or the bottle during transport is prevented.

In some embodiments, further the side walls adjacent to the first side wall at the front side where they abut on the first side wall are less high than at the front side opposing the side wall. I.e., in the direction of the opening, the side walls adjacent to the opening are lower, so that on the one hand the space available for retrieval is increased and so that on the other hand the light incidence or viewing angle into the interior of the box is increased in order to thus make the objects transported in the box, like for example bottles or the like better visible.

In some further embodiments, the remaining side walls which do not correspond to the first side wall are foldable or hinged with respect to the floor, so that the box may be brought into a folded state in which the remaining side walls are approximately parallel to the floor overlying the same or are located above the floor. By this, the box may be transported more efficiently and at lower costs in the empty state.

Some embodiments comprise an additional movable side wall area which extends above the first side wall in a vertical direction and which may either be removed or folded away. This may have the advantage that in the upfolded state the moveable side wall area additionally increases the stability or security so that no goods or products may fall out of the box. Further, in this unfolded state or down-folded state the moveable side wall area may be used to present product information or the like.

In some embodiments, the moveable side wall area is implemented latticed or formed from a plurality of struts so that the box may be cleaned by pressure jets without separating the moveable side wall area from the box or inadvertently removing the same from the box by the high pressure.

In some embodiments, further the remaining side walls are coated or laminated with an foil or film which contains product information which may be read from the outside.

In some further embodiments, a light foil is provided so that by light reflection the object or bottles transported in the box may be optically better visible.

In some further embodiments the remaining three side walls which do not correspond to the lower wall are of equal height so that the boxes may be stacked onto each other, wherein the floor of a box comes to lie on the remaining three side walls of the underlying box. For this purpose, both in the floor and also in the top ends of the remaining side walls special recesses or contours may be provided into which the corresponding recesses or contours of the floor or the remaining side walls engage in order to thus enable stackability and guarantee secure standing.

In some embodiments of inventive boxes which are suitable for storing or transport and presentation of beverage bottles or cans the floor comprises a plurality of sleeves extending in the vertical direction from the floor upwards. Sleeves are three-dimensional objects which are located on the floor and which are shaped such that the bottles are held or fixed by the outer boundary surfaces of the sleeves, so that falling out of the bottles is effectively prevented. In some embodiments, the sleeves only comprise a low height in the vertical direction, so that the same may also be referred to as sleeve stumps. The height and the exterior shape of some sleeves is selected so that the same prevents falling out of the bottles through the lateral opening in connection with the first side wall. In order to still guarantee a retrieval, in some embodiments, the sleeves at their highest position are not higher than the first side wall. In some embodiments, the outer boundary surfaces of the sleeves have a varying height to adapt the same best as possible to the respective requirements. In order to enable tilting or falling out of the bottles in the direction of the first side wall and still guarantee a good stability, the sleeves comprise a lower height in a direction in parallel to the side wall than in the direction towards the first side wall so that tilting in parallel to the first side wall is enabled, wherein tilting in a direction perpendicular to that is impeded and the bottles are held securely.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be detailed subsequently referring to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a box for transporting bottles;

FIG. 2 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 loaded with “sixpacks”;

FIG. 3 shows filled, stacked boxes according to the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 viewed from the bottom;

FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of an inventive box;

FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of an inventive box with foldable side walls;

FIG. 7 shows the embodiment of FIG. 6 in a partially folded state;

FIG. 8 shows the embodiment of FIG. 6 in a completely folded state;

FIG. 9 shows the embodiment of FIG. 6 filled with bottles;

FIG. 10 shows the embodiment of FIG. 6 filled with “sixpacks”;

FIG. 11 shows a top view onto the embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 12 shows a detailed view of sleeves used in some embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 13( a) shows a box according to FIG. 1 with a locking element according to one embodiment of the present invention in a first, open position;

FIG. 13( b) shows the box of FIG. 13( a) with the locking element in the second, closed position;

FIG. 14 shows a stacked arrangement of a box of FIG. 1 and a box of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 shows a box according to FIG. 1 with an exchangeable insert;

FIG. 16( a)-(d) show embodiments for inserts which may be used in the box according to FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows an inventive embodiment of a box 10 for beverages. The floor 12 in the illustrated embodiment is not implemented continuously holohedrally but consists of a lattice-type structure. As it may be seen from the bottom view of the box of FIG. 3, the floor 12 is formed by a plurality of bars or struts. The same are arranged densely enough so that the goods to be transported, i.e. for example a bottle, may not fall through the floor of the box or tilt in an uncontrolled way when an edge of a bottle tilts into one of the recesses between the struts.

The box further comprises two pairs of respectively opposing side walls 14 a, 14 b and 16 a, 16 b which extend from the floor 12 upwards, i.e. in the vertical direction 18. A first one of four side walls, in this example side wall 16 b, only extends by a small retrieval height 20 into the vertical direction 18.

The retrieval height 20 is lower than the height of the remaining side walls 14 a, 14 b and 16 a, so that a lateral opening is formed which enables an access to or a retrieval or removal of bottles or products contained and transported in the box through the lateral opening. Above the first side wall 16 b no further structure of the box is located. On the floor 12 of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 further a plurality of sleeves are arranged of which for example sleeve (or barrel or quill) 22 a and sleeve 22 b are emphasized. The lateral opening for removing the products is thus generated by the first side wall 16 b having a lower height than the adjacent or the remaining side walls. Here and also in the following figures, the height is to be the dimension in the positive vertical direction 18. The term “top” designates a position in the positive vertical direction 18, the term “bottom” designates a position comprising a smaller coordinate in the vertical direction 18. The sides are any direction which limit the box in the directions in parallel to the surface of the bottom or floor 12.

By the first side wall 16 a a lateral opening is defined or formed which enables access for removing the bottles transported in the box. In other embodiments, of course other products may be transported in the box. In the box of FIG. 1 also so-called “sixpacks” may be transported, i.e. prepacked containers of six bottles each.

In alternative embodiments not illustrated here, the side wall does not comprise the lower retrieval height 20 along its complete length but from the adjacent side walls 14 a and 14 b fixed side wall sections extend into the lateral opening, wherein the lateral opening still remains so large that a removal of the products or bottles is guaranteed. Such boxes may have an increased stability.

The embodiment of a box 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 further comprises a moveable side wall are 23 which is hinged with respect to a fixed first side wall 16 b via hinges 24 a to 24 c. The moveable side wall area 23 is illustrated in FIG. 1 in a downfolded position, in which the same is folded down with respect to the first side wall 16 b. In the upfolded position which is illustrated in the following with respect to some other embodiments of the invention, the moveable side wall area 23 extends in the vertical direction 18 upwards. By this, security may additionally be increased in so far as a bottle located in the box 10 may not tilt outwards. Additionally, the moveable part may be used to present product information or the like.

The side walls 14 a and 14 b adjacent to the first side wall 16 b each comprise a grip opening 28 a and 28 b using which the box may be lifted and carried. Here, the grip openings comprise both a first opening area extending in parallel to the floor and also a second opening area basically extending in a vertical direction whose function will be explained in more detail in the following with reference to FIG. 3.

Further, the side walls 14 a and 14 b adjacent to the first side wall 16 b, at the end facing into the direction of the first side wall, comprise bevelled edge areas 30 a and 30 b through which light may fall into the boxes even if they are stacked one onto the other. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, thus the ends of the side walls 14 a and 14 b adjacent to the first side wall 16 b comprise a lower height than at their opposing end. It is obvious that although in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 the recessed part of the side wall is basically triangular, any other shapes of the recesses may also be used for alternative embodiments. In some embodiments, the heights of the side walls 14 a and 14 b adjacent to the first side wall 16 b continuously increase up to the maximum height. In alternative embodiments, the height increase may of course also be in a stepped or in a staircase manner.

The box illustrated in FIG. 1 may be stacked, i.e. the contours of the upper ends of the side walls 14 a, 14 b and 16 a are implemented such that when stacking the same engage the contour or the structure of the floor of another box (see for example FIG. 3), so that the boxes may be stacked one above the other. In spite of that, the lateral opening defined by the first side wall 16 b enables to remove bottles or bottle containers like sixpacks from the interior of the box, even if the same is stacked.

In some embodiments of the invention, the surfaces of the side walls 14 a, 14 b and 16 a facing inwards are designed with a light color so that by the light incidence caused by the openings 30 a and 30 b the bottles in the interior of the boxes are well visible for the observer from the outside. In alternative embodiments, the surfaces are pasted with product information or advertisements.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1 further comprises, at least one of the side walls (in the case illustrated here the side wall 14 b), a plurality of bars or lands 32 a to 32 d passing in the vertical direction and protruding inwards from one of the side surfaces, which prevent the bottles held in the interior of the box by the sleeves to contact the side wall with their complete side surface and pollute the same extensively. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 the bars 32 a to 32 d are each arranged such that the bottles lie against the exterior wall with their outermost radius at the position of the bars 32 a to 32 d. It may thus be prevented that large areas of the interior surfaces of the side walls are polluted as this applies only to the bars.

FIG. 2 shows the embodiment of the box 10 of FIG. 1 in a state filled with three sixpacks.

The sixpacks 40 a, 40 b and 40 c each contain six individual bottles not illustrated here for reasons of clarity.

Here, in addition to the sleeves which engage into the sixpacks from the bottom which are opened at the bottom for this purpose, the sixpacks are held by the bars 40 a and 40 b which, as illustrated in FIG. 1, are arranged at the floor 12 of the box 10.

As it may be gathered from the view of FIG. 3 which shows two boxes 10 and 10 a in a state stacked upon each other, the products or bottles may be removed from the bottom box 10 also in the stacked state. This obviously also applies to the sixpacks 40 a, 40 b and 40 c when the same are transported or presented in the boxes as an alternative to individual bottles. As it may be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 the special implementation of a box illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a high flexibility with respect to the bottles to be transported, as on the one hand sixpacks and on the other hand individual bottles may be transported using the box. This results from the arrangement of the sleeves 22 a and 22 b and the bars 42 a and 42 b illustrated in the arrangement of FIG. 1.

It is obvious that in other embodiments of the box 10 the arrangement of the sleeves may be different. For example, in some embodiments bars may be completely omitted and instead only sleeves may be used. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, however, both is possible as each individual bottle which is inserted in one of the free spaces between the sleeves and/or bars, is supported in four directions each either by a side wall of a bar, by a sleeve or by one of the side walls 14 a, 14 b, 16 a or 16 b of the box so that the same is stably supported for transport.

As it may be seen in FIG. 3, due to the possibility of stacking the boxes and the possibility of a lateral retrieval, which is provided by the first side wall 16 b, it is now possible to offer different products for sale in a column of stacked boxes. The side wall 16 b here prevents in connection with the sleeves that the bottles may fall out of the box 10 during transport, which is why the side wall 16 b is dimensioned so that during transport it prevents tilting or falling out of the box. It still is low enough, however, so that the bottles may be removed from the box towards the front, although a further box 10 a is arranged on the box 10. In this respect, according to some embodiments, the bottles may first of all be slightly lifted and then be tilted and taken out towards the front. This is in some embodiments enabled by a special implementation of the sleeves, as it is described in more detail with reference to FIG. 12.

FIG. 3 clearly shows a further characteristic of some embodiments of the present invention, that is the special implementation of the grip openings 28 a and 28 b. The grip opening is bent and extends both horizontally and also vertically. In other words, the grip opening 28 a comprises a first opening area 50 a extending in parallel to the floor 12 and a second opening area 50 b passing basically in the vertical direction 18. Here, the delimitation between vertical and horizontal opening area in FIG. 3 is to be regarded only as an example. The grip opening 28 a also extends to a significant extent in the vertical direction, so that the grip opening 28 a may be used by a person also in the vertical opening area. With alternative embodiments of the invention the grip opening 28 a may of course be of another shape than in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3. For example, the same may also comprise a square or rectangular cross-section, so that the box may be lifted both from the top by means of the horizontal opening area 50 a and also from the side by means of the vertical opening area 50 b.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the vertical opening area is located on the side facing the first side wall 16 b and passes with a large radius into the horizontal opening area 50 a at the outer contour (i.e. the contour directing into the direction of the first side wall). This leads to the fact that when lifting the box the same may be gripped in that radius, so that the box, when the vertical opening area is located at the side associated with the first side wall 16 b, tilts backwards (in the direction of the side wall 16 a), so that by the inclination of the box during carrying, falling out of the individual bottles is additionally prevented.

In some embodiments of the invention, as illustrated with respect to FIG. 4 showing a respective view from the bottom towards the box of FIG. 1 and with respect to FIG. 11 showing a bottom view of a further embodiment of the invention, security is additionally increased by a special implementation of the floor 12 in the area 50 adjacent to the first side wall 16 b.

In some embodiments of the invention, the floor 12 is not implemented holohedrally but is formed by an arrangement of ribs for saving weight and for easier cleaning. The same cover the surface of the floor 12 so that the individual bottles are supported securely on the floor 12 by their bottle bottom. In the area 50 of the front edge, i.e. in the area 50 adjacent to the first side wall 16 b, the number or the area density of the ribs, compared to the residual area, is increased so that the bottles located there may not tilt outwards even when they are tilted from their rest position slightly into the direction of the first side wall 16 b by exterior influences. This is prevented by the ribs being set so densely in the area 50 adjacent to the first side wall 16 b, that the edge of a bottle may not tilt in between the spacing between two adjacent ribs. In other words, in the area 50 adjacent to the first side wall 16 b the floor 12 comprises a supporting area for the bottles which is larger than the available supporting area provided on average across the floor per area unit, to enable secure holding of the bottles.

As it may further be gathered from FIG. 4, at the area adjacent to the side walls 14 a, 14 b and 16 a the floor 12 comprises an elevation of several ribs whose contour is implemented so that when put onto another box it engages in the interior of the side wall into the contour of the side walls of the further box in order to guarantee the stackability and a secure standing in the stacked state.

Further, the floor of the box in the center of the same comprises a strut 52 extending from the side wall 16 a to the first side wall 16 b and whose bars comprise a larger extent in the vertical direction than the remaining bars of the floor. This strut 52 serves to additionally support the first side wall 16 b of a reduced height in order increase the stability of the box. The strut 52 is arranged at the center so that the strut which extends downwards further than the remaining floor does not obstruct lifting out the bottles from the bottom box in the stacked state.

FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of the present invention which basically is different from the embodiments discussed with reference to the above figures as using the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 different bottle sizes may be transported. While the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 is adapted to bottles having a content of 0.5 l, the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 of a box is adapted to bottles with a content of 0.33 l. Thus, the embodiment of FIG. 5 is basically different from the embodiment of FIG. 1 with respect to the arrangement of the sleeves and with respect to the strength of side walls 14 a, 14 b and 16 a which was changed to hold the bottles arranged in the interior of the box while the outer volume is maintained. Thus, for example, the box illustrated in FIG. 5 comprises five sleeves 54 a, 54 b, 54 c, 54 d and 54 e which are adjacent to the first side wall 16 b in order to all in all hold six bottles of a content of 0.33 l in the first row. Further, the box of FIG. 5 only comprises one continuous bar 56 in the center of the box so that alternatively four sixpacks may be transported using the box.

Further, the embodiment of FIG. 5, in contrast to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4, shows the box with an upfolded moveable side wall area 23 at the first side wall 16 b. As apart from that the implementation features of the box of FIG. 5 correspond to those of FIG. 1 and each have an identical functionality, a renewed discussion of the components corresponding to those of the box FIG. 1 is omitted. It is to be additionally noted here that the box illustrated in FIG. 5, just like the box illustrated in FIG. 1, comprises at least one opening 58 at the side wall 16 a which is opposite to the first side wall 16 b, wherein the opening extends through the side wall 16 a so that the box may be mounted or hung to a wall or a shelf or the like by means of the opening.

For increasing security of mounting the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5 each additionally comprise an optional second mounting opening 60.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 is also configured for the transport of 24 pieces of bottles with a content of 0.33 l each and here basically corresponds to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, however, the side walls 14 a, 14 b and 16 a or at least parts of the side walls 14 a, 14 b and 16 a are arranged foldable with respect to the floor by means of hinges. Here they are foldable such that they may be folded into the direction of the floor and in a folded state are located basically in parallel to the floor, at it is illustrated in FIG. 7 for the side wall 16 a which is in parallel to the surface of the floor 12 in a folded state. FIG. 8 shows all side walls 14 a, 14 b, and 16 a in a folded down state, so that in the folded state the box may easily be transported back to the brewery or a filler without necessitating much storage space. This may substantially reduce transport costs.

Although with respect to FIGS. 6 to 8 the foldable side walls 14 a, 14 b and 16 a are only illustrated for one box, which is configured to transport 24 bottles a 0.33 l, it is obvious that also the box illustrated in FIG. 1 for 0.5 l bottles may be equipped with foldable side walls. It generally applies to any embodiment disclosed here that the features described or illustrated with respect to the individual embodiments may be randomly combined with each other in order to acquire alternative further embodiments of inventive boxes.

FIG. 9 illustrates the embodiment FIG. 5 in a loaded state in which 24 bottles are located in the box.

Just like in FIG. 5 also here the moveable side wall area 23 is in the upfolded position in order to thus additionally secure the bottles of the frontmost row or to apply product identifications for transport on the outside of the flexible part 23 which are not relevant for the presentation of the goods.

FIG. 10 shows the embodiment of FIG. 5 with an alternative form of load, that is four sixpacks 70 a, 70 b, 70 c and 70 d.

FIG. 11 finally shows a top view onto the embodiment of FIG. 5, wherein it is obvious that the sleeve 54 c comprises a different geometrical form than the sleeves 54 a, 54 b, and 54 d or 54 e in order to enable placing sixpacks inside. With alternative embodiments, however, the central sleeve 54 c may of course have the same design or form as the remaining sleeves, i.e. for example sleeve 54 a. Likewise, any other sleeves may have the form of sleeve 54 c.

As it may be seen from the top view of FIG. 11, also for the case of boxes for 24 beverage bottles, the floor 12 in the area 50 adjacent to the first side wall 16 is constructed with a larger supporting area than the central supporting area of the complete floor in order to prevent an unwanted falling out of the bottles from the box.

FIG. 12 shows an enlarged illustration of the sleeves 54 a to 54 c, so that their special shape may be seen which enables, in cooperation with the first side wall 16 b, to hold the bottles both securely and also retrievable towards the front. In order to achieve this some embodiments of sleeves have an outer surface whose height is not constant in the vertical direction. As an outer boundary surface of the sleeve 54 a, in the following, the hatched area 70 is to be regarded, i.e. the area or the area elements which limit the sleeves laterally, i.e. in any direction orthogonal to the vertical direction 18.

The outer boundary surface or area 70 comprises a varying height, as already indicated above. Here, the sleeve in a first side surface area 75 which is parallel to the first side wall 16 b and secures a bottle to the back (in the direction 72 facing away from the first side wall 16 b) is less high than in a second side surface area 76 which secures the bottle against a tilting in a direction 74 in parallel to the first side wall 16 b.

With the sleeve 54 a illustrated in FIG. 12 which comprises a basically diamond-shaped cross-section whose tip is directed into the direction of the first side wall 16 b, the function of preventing tilting backwards is executed by a first boundary surface area 75 which completes the sleeve basically in the direction in parallel to the first side wall 16 b. A second boundary surface area 76 limiting the sleeve 54 b in the direction of the first side wall 16 b prevents tilting of the bottles in parallel to the first side wall 16 b.

The first side surface area 75 is lower than the second side surface area 76 to enable tilting when the bottles fall or tilt out to the front, without having to lift the bottle so far that it possibly already abuts on the floor of a further box which is stacked on the respective box.

The second boundary surface area 76, however, prevents tilting in the direction in parallel to the first side wall 16 b and may thus be higher in order to increase stability. Generally, both the sleeves 54 a and 54 b as also the sleeve 54 c cause a maximum stability when simultaneously enabling tilting out towards the front as the sleeves in the direction in parallel to the side wall comprise a lower height than in the direction perpendicular to the side wall.

Further, the sleeves in FIG. 12 are provided with outer boundary partial surfaces, which are concavely domed in between the tips of the basically diamond-shaped basic form, wherein the radius of the dome basically corresponds to the diameter of a bottle in order to still be able to securely hold the bottle.

With reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, in the following, a further aspect of the invention is described according to which a box, as it was explained for example with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12, is provided with a further element, a locking element, which for example serves as a transport protection. FIG. 13 shows a box which basically corresponds to the box of FIG. 1, so that a renewed description of the different elements already described with respect to FIG. 1 is omitted. As it may be seen, the box according to FIG. 13( a) further includes a locking element 100 comprising a bracket 102 which includes two opposing ends. At a first end 102 a of the bracket 102 a first strut 104 is arranged and at a second end 102 b of the bracket 102 a second strut 106 is arranged. The ends 104 a and 106 a of the struts 104, 106 facing away from the bracket 102 are arranged rotationally moveable at the opposing side surfaces or end surfaces 14 a and 14 b. In the situation illustrated in FIG. 13( a), the locking element or transport protection element 100 is located in a position which is between a first position and a second position. With reference to FIG. 13( b) the box illustrated in FIG. 13( a) is again illustrated, but now with the locking element 100 in a first position in which the bracket 102 extends between the side walls 14 a and 14 b, wherein the same is arranged spaced apart from the lower side wall 16 b . In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13( b) the bracket 102 is located half way up the side walls 14 a and 14 b, wherein the present invention is not restricted to this arrangement. Rather, the bracket 102 may either be arranged lower or higher, depending on the circumstances. The struts 104 and 106 are implemented such and supported such that when folding or turning the bracket 102 from the position illustrated in FIG. 13( a) into the position illustrated in FIG. 13( b), the bracket 102 takes on a certain distance to the bottom, lower side wall 116 b. As it may be gathered from FIG. 13( b), the side walls 14 a and 14 b or the surfaces of these two end walls facing the lower side wall 16 b are structured to receive or include the struts 104 and 106 and the area in which the bracket 102 is connected to the struts 104 and 106, i.e. the opposing ends 102 a and 102 b of the bracket 102, in recesses or cut-outs such that a flush front surface results.

FIG. 14 shows a stacked arrangement of a box of FIG. 1 on which a box according to FIG. 13 is arranged, wherein here, however, the situation is illustrated in which the bracket 102 is arranged in a second position in which the same is arranged overlapping the lower side wall 14 b. As it may be seen, the lower side wall 16 b is also structured by recesses or cut-outs to receive the bracket 102 in the second position illustrated in FIG. 14 so that a flush front surface of the side wall 16 b results.

As it may further be gathered from FIGS. 13( b) and 14, the opposing ends 102 a and 102 b of the bracket 102 are implemented such that the same enclose the corresponding side wall 14 a and 14 b in the first position illustrated in FIG. 13( b) in order thus guarantee a latching and a secure positioning of the bracket 102. In a similar way, in the position illustrated in FIG. 14, a secure positioning of the bracket 102 is achieved by corresponding engagement elements formed in the low wall engaging the bracket 102.

It is the advantage of this aspect of the invention that now an additional transport protection element is provided which is arranged in the position illustrated in FIG. 13( b) during transport and thus may act upon products located within the box to prevent a movement of the same in the direction of the opening, in other words, to provide a further barrier against falling out of the products. The bracket is rotatably connected to the side surfaces or end surfaces of the box and may easily be moved from the closed position illustrated in FIG. 13( b) into the open position so that free access onto the products located within the box is possible.

The invention is not restricted to the examples described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, and rather, instead of the arrangement of the bracket 102 half way up the end walls, also another positioning may be selected, for example the distance from the low wall 16 b may be selected at one third of the height of the side walls or at two thirds of the height of the side walls. Further, according to one embodiment it may be provided to implement the struts 104 and 106 telescopically in order to thus arrange a positioning of the bracket 102 based on the situation of FIG. 14 at different heights along the height of the side walls so that the height of the locking element 102 may be set flexibly depending on the products located within the box.

With respect to FIGS. 15 and 16 in the following a further aspect of the invention is described, wherein FIG. 15 shows a box which was already described with respect to FIG. 1 but which is different with respect to the implementation of the floor 12. In the box illustrated in FIG. 15 an insert 112 is provided which is detachably mounted to the floor of the box. The insert 112 illustrated in FIG. 16 includes a top surface 112 a on which a first strut 114 is illustrated which extends in parallel to the opposing end walls 14 a and 14 b across the complete depth of the box up to the back wall 16 a. A further strut, the cross strut or cross brace 116 is provided which extends from the side wall 14 a about half way of the depth of the box up to the first strut 114. The insert 112 may for example be provided to receive products packed in cardboard boxes having dimensions corresponding to the compartments resulting in the insert 112. Apart from such products any products may be provided to be included in the box according to FIG. 16, wherein according to the invention for different products also different inserts 112 may be detachably arranged in the box.

With respect to FIG. 16 some embodiments for the implementation of the inserts 112 are given, wherein for example the surface 112 a in FIG. 16( a) may be provided with rectangular and circular recesses to simultaneously take up products comprising a corresponding foot print. FIG. 16( b) shows, similar to FIG. 15, the arrangement of struts on the top surface 112 a of the insert 112, and according to FIG. 16( c) sleeves may be provided on the top surface 112 a similar to what was described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. FIG. 16( d) shows a lower surface 112 b of the insert 112, wherein elements 118 a to 118 d arranged at the corners are illustrated which serve to engage corresponding elements or recesses in the floor 12 of the box, wherein the elements 118 are implemented so that for example after latching with the box floor a detachment from the box floor is only possible using special tools so that a box provider may assemble the boxes in a different way according to the requirements of the customer without the customer who uses the box having a possibility to exchange the insert for using the same with other products. This way, the boxes may be assembled according to the requirements of the customers and in particular increased demand for boxes with certain inserts may be reacted on when boxes for other products are currently not as much in demand.

Although embodiments were discussed above basically in the context of beverage boxes, further embodiments of the present invention may of course also be used for other product types. For example, beverage cans and any other cylindrical objects like, for example, hair spray, deodorants cans or the like may be transported using the inventive boxes. Further, the boxes with a lateral opening may also be used for a completely different type of products which may deviate from a cylindrical base shape. The boxes are universally usable for any products as they enable to laterally take out the product from the box in the stacked state. This great advantage is not restricted to the type of transported goods.

While this invention has been described in terms of several advantageous embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents which fall within the scope of this invention. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and compositions of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. 

1. A box, comprising: a floor; at least two pairs of respectively opposing side walls, wherein a first one of the side walls extends upwards from the floor in a vertical direction at least partially only by a retrieval height which is lower than the height of one or several of the remaining side walls, to define a lateral opening with dimensions which enable an access to and the removal of products comprised in the box through the lateral opening; and a locking element, extending between the two opposing side walls which abut on the first side wall and which is moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein the locking element is arranged in the first position between the opposing side walls and spaced apart from the first side wall, wherein the locking element is arranged in the second position overlapping the first side wall; and wherein the locking element comprises a bracket extending between the opposing side walls and two struts arranged at the opposing ends of the bracket, wherein an end of the struts spaced apart from the bracket is arranged rotationally moveable at the corresponding side wall.
 2. The box according to claim 1, wherein the opposing side walls and the first side wall comprise recesses to receive the bracket and the struts.
 3. The box according to claim 2, wherein the recesses are such that the struts and the bracket in the first or second position of the locking element are flush with a surface of the opposing side walls or with an exterior surface of the one side wall facing the first side wall.
 4. The box according to claim 1, comprising a latching element cooperating with the locking element to keep the locking element securely in the first or the second position.
 5. The box according to claim 4, wherein the struts and/or the bracket of the locking element are implemented to engage portions of the opposing side walls and/or the first side wall.
 6. The box according to claim 5, wherein the struts and/or the bracket of the locking element comprise one or several snap-in elements to cooperate with corresponding snap-in element receiving portions of the side walls.
 7. The box according to claim 1, wherein the locking element is in the second position arranged at a distance from the floor which is about a third, half or two thirds of the height of the opposing side walls.
 8. The box according to claim 1, wherein the locking element is implemented to be arranged at a further position spaced apart from the first side wall.
 9. The box according to claim 1, wherein the struts of the locking element are implemented telescopically in order to arrange the locking element selectively at the second position or at the further position.
 10. The box according to claim 1, wherein the first side wall comprises one or two side wall sections which extend starting from one of the adjacent side walls in the direction of the lateral opening and comprise a height which is greater than the retrieval height.
 11. The box according to claim 1, comprising a first pair of short side walls and a second pair of long side walls.
 12. The box according to claim 11, wherein the first side wall is one of the long side walls.
 13. The box according to claim 1, further comprising a moveable side wall area extending upwards in the vertical direction at the first side wall, wherein the area is moveable with respect to the first side wall in the direction towards the floor.
 14. The box according to claim 13, wherein the moveable side wall area is arranged foldable with respect to a fixed first side wall adjacent to the floor.
 15. The box according to claim 1, wherein the side walls adjacent to the first side wall each comprise a grip opening for lifting the box, wherein a grip opening each comprises a first opening area extending in parallel to the floor and a second opening area located on the side of the grip opening facing the first side wall and passing basically in the vertical direction.
 16. The box according to claim 15, wherein the opening areas at the side facing away from the floor pass into each other in a transition area with a curvature, which enables a gripping of the box also in the transition area.
 17. The box according to claim 16, wherein the curvature radius is larger than 2 cm.
 18. The box according to claim 1, wherein the floor at an area adjacent to the first side wall comprises a supporting area for the products to be transported which is larger than a supporting area averaged across the complete floor.
 19. The box according to claim 1, wherein the side walls adjacent to the first side wall, at their end adjacent to the first side wall, comprise a lower first height than a second height at their opposing end.
 20. The box according to claim 19, wherein the height of the side walls adjacent to the first side wall continuously increases from the first height up to the second height.
 21. The box according to claim 1, wherein the remaining side walls which do not correspond to the first side wall are moveably arranged with respect to the floor such that they may be folded into the direction of the floor into a down-folded state in which they are located substantially in parallel to the floor.
 22. The box according to claim 1, wherein on the floor of the box a plurality of sleeves are arranged which are implemented such that they may hold bottles arranged in the box.
 23. The box according to claim 22, wherein the height of the sleeves in the vertical direction does not exceed the retrieval height of the first side wall.
 24. The box according to claim 22, wherein the sleeves comprise an outer boundary surface extending upwards from the floor in a vertical direction, wherein the height of the surface varies along the outer circumference of the sleeve.
 25. The box according to claim 24, wherein at least one sleeve comprises a boundary surface area limiting the sleeve in a direction in parallel to the first side wall which has a smaller height than a second boundary surface area limiting the sleeve in the direction of the first side wall.
 26. The box according to claim 22, wherein the boundary surface of the sleeve comprises a basically diamond-shaped cross-section in parallel to the floor, wherein one of the tips of the diamond directs into the direction of the first side wall.
 27. The box according to claim 26, wherein the outer boundary surface of the sleeve is domed inwards concavely between the tips of the diamond-shaped cross-section.
 28. The box according to claim 27, wherein the radius of the domes approximately corresponds to the radius of a bottle body to be held within the box.
 29. The box according to claim 1, wherein the first side wall is detachably connected to the floor. 